Edinburgh congestion charge raised at First Minister's Questions
Motorists could have to pay more than £4,000 a year to drive into Edinburgh if a congestion charge is introduced, Lothian Tory MSP Miles Briggs has claimed.
Mr Briggs raised the issue during First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament, claiming such a charge would be "unfair" and asking John Swinney to agree no congestion charge should be introduced without a referendum.
Proposals for a congestion charge in the Capital were overwhelminlgy rejected in a referendum in 2005.
But Mr Briggs told the chamber that Edinburgh council was now developing a framework for a congestion charge.
He said: "This could see residents in East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian having to pay over £4,000 a year to drive into the city. The First Minister says he is interested in the cost of living, so does he agree with me it's unfair for my constituents to pay to drive to work, visit family or go to hospital?
"And I know he is keen on referenda, so does he agree that, like in 2005, this should be decided by referendum of people across my region?"
Mr Swinney said MSPs regularly pressed the government to enable local authorities to take more comprehensive decisions about their localities. "Here we have Mr Briggs asking me to intervene and stop that happening. These are local matters that local authorities must consult about and decide about. It's their responsibility to do exactly that."
And he said: "On the subject of a referendum, I say to Mr Briggs that I think that the next referendum that needs to take place in Scotland is a referendum on Scottish independence—and the sooner the better."
Mr Briggs said his claim of an annual bill of over £4,000 was based on someone driving into the city five days a week and paying the equivalent of the London congestion charge of £18 a day.
He said he was disappointed at Mr Swinney's response. "I feel he is completely side-stepping what is a major concern for people. I think people will be quite shocked that the First Minister is happy to stand idly by.
“This would be a massive cost of living blow to people if they're having to pay this. It's not about wealthy people driving cars into town, it's people going to their work, going to hospital; the whole city will be negatively impacted.
"The First Minister only wants a referendum on independence. But a congestion charge is probably more of a priority for people in Lothian, to be able to have their say or whether or not they are charged £4,000."
Last month Mr Briggs, who is standing as Tory candidate in East Lothian at the Holyrod election in May, launched a campaign against a congestion charge, warning it could be introduced “by the back door”.
At the time, Edinburgh's Labour transport convener Stephen Jenkinson accused Mr Briggs of scaremongering, saying that councils did not currently have the power to operate a congestion charge even if they wanted to, and such a charge was “not something being actively pursued at this time”.